ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · saw · band · ruler · bank · cold · charge · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. saw — the tool
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cold — an illness
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — for money
  13. kick — in football
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. charge — electricity
  16. saw — the tool
  17. track — a song
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. charge — a price
  20. cold — not warm
  21. charge — in control
  22. band — a ring
  23. track — to keep track
  24. band — a music group

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com